FOR BASEBALL EXPERTS : Why do teams back-date injuries for players to go on the disabled list?

Question

I have a pretty good comprehension about baseball, but there's one thing I don't understand. You often hear teams put a player on the disabled list (that's easy to understand), but then they back date the injury (which in baseball, they have the ability to back date 5 days). Why would they do that? Is it for financial reasons? I mean, during that period of time, the team was essentially short one player anyways. What are the benefits for a back date?

Answer 1

Teams can put players on a 15 or a 60 day disabled list...there used to be a 21 day list, but they don't have that anymore...once a player is placed in the DL, he must stay there for the duration, even if he recovers enough to play again prior to the end of that period of time...

Players on the 15 day list can not be replaced, the team has to play with a roster that's a man short... if a player goes on the 60 day list, he can be replaced during that time.

Sometimes a team will keep an injured player on the roster but list him as day to day, meaning the medical staff is unable to determine when the player will be ready to play again.... the reason for listing him as day-to-day is because they don't want to lose the player for two weeks (by placing him on the DL) if it turns out he's only slightly hurt.

Teams can put players on the DL retroactive to the last day he played.

There are penalties involved if a team fails to accurately disclose the nature of a player's injuries. Placing someone on the DL retroactively apparently allows a team not to be penalized (other than the disadvantage of playing with a reduced roster) for listing the player as day to day during the time they spend determining the nature of the injury.

For example, if a guy is hurt, and they spend a week trying to figure out just how bad the injury is, they might list him as day to day during that time (since they don't want to automatically lose him for two weeks by placing him on the DL)... then, after let's say 10 days, they finally figure, 'hey, he'll be ready to go in about a week', then they can retroactively place the guy on the 15 day DL, have him back in a week, and there's no penalty, other than playing with a reduced roster until the retroactive 15 days is up.

Answer 2

By backdating a player's start on the disabled list, the player is eligible to come off the DL and play again sooner.
The minimum stay on the DL is 15 days, so making the move retroactive means the player is eligible to come off and begin playing at a sooner date.
A team can only make a player's stay on the DL retroactive to the last date that the player played in a game.

Answer 3

The team may first hold the player out of action for a few days, hoping they will not have to put him on the DL. But if they do have to put him on the DL (say 15-day, for example), they can back-date to the last date he actually played. This helps them avoid situations where the player is ready to come back, but cannot because he's waiting out the rest of his DL time.

Answer 4

So that the player is eligible to come off the disabled list a few days earlier, if the injury looks like it won't require the full 15 days.

Answer 5

My understanding is the last day a player played is the D.L. date. That means that 15 or 60 days from that date they are eligable to return to 25 man active roster. The benefit from this is like a pitcher who doesn't realize he is hurt untill two or three days after he pitches, might not be out the whole 15 days from when he realizes he was hurt, result is an earlier return date if you back date it.

Answer 6

All the playoff teams? Post-season hangover. All the non-playoff teams? Let's hope they don't fall down stairs (sorry, I can't help it). (: I guess it's not totally fair to say they were blaming the injuries on the WBC- -I mean, several injuries DID result from that. But I know what you mean, it did seem like a lot was blamed on that.

Answer 7

Because there are only 15 and 45 DLs so that way they may get better and can come back sooner, that way no healed Superstar waiting out a stint on the DL.

Answer 8

They can 'back date' to their last appearance in a game. It is done to minimize the time a player has to spend on the disabled list. That way he doesn't have to miss any more time then is necessary.

Answer 9

usually happens with pitchers. back date to their last start so they are eligible to come of the DL sooner. maybe they figure a guy may only miss 1 start so they back date it. i am not an expert but i believe that is why they do it.